Tuesday night, the 76ers sank to a new low in the mess that is the 2012-2013 season. Following a 14-point loss to the now 16-41 Orlando Magic, a team they had previously demolished by 17 points, the Sixers are now 22-33 overall.

What’s worst of all, is that because of tiebreakers, Doug Collins and company are now in last place in the Atlantic Division. Through this six-game losing streak it has become crytsal clear that this team needs a change in order to inject some energy into this squad and revitalize what has spiraled into a simply lifeless team.

Following the gruesome loss down at the Wells Fargo Center, Collins made headlines with his blatantly critical comments about the lack of effort and energy from his players.

“We made a huge deal and we have nobody playing a part of that deal. How many teams can give up Andre Iguodala, Moe Harkless and Nikola Vucevic and have nothing in return playing? That’s tough to overcome,” Collins told reporters after the game. “That’s just the facts. I’m not looking for any outs. That’s a fact. Nik Vucevic had 19 rebounds tonight. Spencer had one, I think Lavoy had two… I did not think our guys prepared themselves during the break to come back to play.”

The problem with Collins’ comments is that he was largely responsible, along with the front office, for making the off-season moves that gave him his current roster.

He’s complaining about guys like Hawes, Allen and Nick Young. But these are all characters that he willingly paid to be apart of this season’s Sixers story. He took shots at Turner last night as well, but didn’t Collins decide not to move ET before the recent trade deadline? Collins is not going to be fired now, nor is that likely to happen at the end of this season. DC also doesn’t have the talent to change this team’s style of play right now. So, with all that said only one option remains after last night’s loss and the ensuing ugly presser by Collins: blow up whatever this current “rotation” is for the Sixers and play the young-ins.

When you’re in the cellar of your division, in an “evaluative year” mind you, it makes absolutely zero sense to play Spencer Hawes, Lavoy Allen and Damien Wilkins a combined 55 minutes and only give a somewhat promising rookie, Arnett Moultire, a measly 6 minutes in a game you lose to the pathetic Magic by FOURTEEN POINTS!

Next, if this organization truly took on Charles Jenkins in order to evaluate him for the future, why is Royal Ivey, a guy who has solidified his professional basketball identity as a scrub, playing 11 minutes over this kid? Why is Jrue Holiday, your All-Star and future of the franchise, playing 39 minutes in a game that you were completely and utterly outplayed in? Why is Thad Young fresh of a three week stint on the injured list and clearly not in “game shape” hauling 34 minutes?

This upcoming off-season will clearly set the tone for the Sixers’ next five seasons. But, before the organization and front office can make those crucial decisions, don’t they need to truly evaluate the pieces they have on this roster?

This season, Moultrie has attempted just 40 field goals and 16 free throws in only 170 minutes over the span of 20 games. In the three-game span, all losses, since the Sixers acquired him from the Warriors, Charles Jenkins has played just two minutes and recorded a trillion against the Magic.

Why not play Jrue and Thad just 25 minutes per game? Why not see how Evan Turner can fair off the ball with some combination of Jenkins, Jeremy Pargo and Dorell Wright on the perimeter with him? Why not give Moultrie chances to prove himself as a legitimate offensive piece down low, and at the high post, and battle with opposing bigs on defense? Why not throw your unproven pieces into the fire and see if they rise to the occasion or crash and burn?

You don’t need to be a super-analytical stat nerd to realize those are not adequate sample sizes to evaluate young talent, who clearly have potential. Jenkins is the second-leading scorer all-time in the Colonial Athletic Association and just look at this highlight video of Moultrie in college…Get them some runs!

At this point in the season, the 76ers are the 10th team in an 8-team playoff format. They’re five games out of the 8th seed with Milwaukee and Toronto holding tiebreakers over them. This team isn’t making the playoffs regardless of whether Bynum returns. Put your younger players to the test and see what happens. See what you actually have right under your noses before you blow money on useless free agents like Kwame Brown.

Nothing else DC has tried so far this season has worked, so why not give this idea a try?

Things can’t possibly get any worse for this team, right?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 27th, 2013
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I was just watching first take and it is reported that bynum’s knees are degenerating. The only choice is to blow it all up and rebuild through the draft. Find a cornerstone.player and work our way up. With that said collins will not want to wait fpr that to happen which results in him leaving.
I am curious to see who will replace him. Michael curry? Brian shaw maybe?

I can’t agree more.. Why is Hawes playing so much and he can only get one rebound? Why not try someone else when you see that your 7-footer clearly cannot get rebounds… If DC doesn’t like to play rookies why look forward to the draft.

I’d prefer a young guy who commands respect but also knows how to have fun and engage his players, like Mark Jackson. I’ve been saying and thinking since the Sixers fired Mo Cheeks (which was already 5 years ago!) that Aaron McKie should get a chance to lead this group of young players. I think he’d do a great job. He knows the game really well and the players better than anyone. If they make a move at HC or Collins walks, that’s my choice.

First thing is, if it’s true about Bynum’s degenerative knees… let’s take a minute to wish the young man well. The guy could play ball when healthy and I personally preferred him to Dwight because of his offensive set (not trying to start a Howard v Bynum debate).
Credit where it’s due, the Sixers selected Vuc and Harkless… so they might be able to find talent. Lavoy was a second round pick, and from memory, was ET selected before Doug was on the scene? (I might be wrong on that).
BUT there’s no question there are weaknesses in the organisations ability to use the talent they get. For Vuc to be so underplayed last year and be so good this year… that’s a serious issue for the Sixers methodology.
The selection of ET at number 2, and the Bynum trade, were pretty well accepted as correct by most pundits. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, although I have to question again the organisations contract signing for perceived potential when only Jrue has really shown he has value and perhaps Thad. And what of the medical assessment that allowed Bynum in the first place. That was a mistake.
It’s rebuild time. Just a shame losing Vuc and Harkless and the 2 year contracts on Brown etc. will put us two years behind the rebuild… and through some very lean draft years too.

Could not agree more sloetry. I wish him the best. But aarin mckie makes alot of sense. An up beat guy with energy and has been with the organization. On the bright side flexability is something that philly will have with expiring contracts like hawes and brown and some cap room. This offseason will indeed set the tone for the next years coming. An option that I like is austin rivers. What do u guys think.

Why the constant pessimism? Last summer was awful. I defended the Bynum trade, but every other move made no sense. However, it’s Aaron barzilais first summer with the team, and it’s looking like Doug will finally be gone. Why would you just assume that it will get worse this summer?

Media are always too anxious to level shot at DC and the front office. From the coach’s standpoint, or put yourself in his shoes, would you completely throw in the towel when your team is not theoretically done this season?

It is always easy to be critical and fastidious as a outsider. So although I agree that DC’s rotation is problematic and he should try playing ET differently, giving up on this season and rest our two best players in Jrue and Thad are just equal to tanking, which is not acceptable at this point of the season.

Steve, justify this.
“The Bynum trade made 0 sense when it happened”‘
I would much rather be in the situation they are now then the abyss of mediocrity that they sat in with their personnel last year. Andrew Bynum have and still gives this team a chance to win a championship in the future. Something that last years bunch could never do.

With the Bynum trade we are in the worst possible situation that could have happened. However, the worst situation from that trade is still better than the previous situation.

at this point I just wana start the rebuilding process we took the chance in trading for Bynum to contend for championships for the next 5ish years and it doesn’t look like its guna happen. time to tank get a high draft pick trade all tradable assets(so everybody but jrue and thad) for more draft picks and be good in 3-4 years pending on how good our draft picks are and who we trade for/sign in the offseasons

So, here it is! Let Swaggy P, Don’t Kwame, Dorell Writeoff and Royale with Cheese rot on the pine till April 18th. Trade Moultrie and ET for Affalo in the offseason. Sign Big Al to the max contract that was gonna get wasted on Buynumb or sign Larry Sanders/JJ Hickson to a $40M/4 yr deal. Draft Otto Porter (G-Town SF) or Trey Burke (Mich PG). Send Lavoy back to the bench as the PF, not the 6’8″ C. Hope that J-Rich (33) and Hawes (24) retire, so that the 7-6 can sign Redick to a $30M/3 yr contract and fill with defenders.

Steve, since you think this team sucks so much and has no chance of building a decent roster or competing in the foreseeable future, what do you recommend?

You talk as if you have all of the answers and if they had only listened to you then the team wouldn’t find itself in this position so I’m curious what your moves would’ve been and what you would do now to put the team on the right path.

Bynums knees right now are the best theyre ever going to be weve known this for awhile the dots just havnt been connected. The reason hes out is due to a bone bruise which is something you can play with if you need to. I Bynums intentions with the sixers are clear now, doug deserves a good part of the blame for this but we gotta start trashing Bynum this is all his fault. Like for all we know hes been blazing in jersey with his boys thinking about free agency the entire time hes been here.

steve i said that we took a chance at contending for championships and that would depend on a full health Bynum(at this point isn’t guna happen ever) and signing an allstar this offseason which at this point isn’t guna happen so that’s why i said lets scratch that idea and tank for the future and hopefully our draft picks turn out to be the opposite of turner

Without question… this offseason will set the tone for this Sixers franchise for the next five seasons. But, don’t be surprised if they throw the whole house and the kitchen sink at Bynum this summer. He’s getting PAID by DiLeo.

As a reader of this site and lifelong Philadephia sports fan I can say that you are by far the most pessimistic person i’ve encountered when it comes to a team you supposedly love. You clearly don’t like this team and focus almost entirely on the negatives in your writing. I get it, you’d be much better if they just gave you the keys, a checkbook and a clipboard, but they won’t. Get over it. Even when the Sixers had a great playoff run last year you were constantly nitpicking performances and predicting the next game to be a loss. I understand this website is largely editorial but I find both your attitude towards not only the Sixers but other fans to be exhausting. If you have nothing but negativity and “I’d do it better” comments about a deeply nuanced situation like the one the Sixers find themselves in, maybe this isn’t the best outlet for your writing abilties.

I still don’t get what a trillion is. I don’t see what everyone is snapping at Steve Toll for, he did comment early on what he thought would happen and has been right about the Bynum trade. I disagree with his views on Jrue, and he can be antagonistic, but if your constantly arguing with everyone it’s tough to stay civil. I can honestly say the best thing that can happen is salary dumping and a new coach for this season. By the way, I never heard Toll once say he wanted the Sixers to suck… Just that they did.